Holy Hierarch Theophan - in the world, Georgi
Vasilievitch Govorov - was born on January 10, 1815, in the village of
Chernavskoye, Yeletsk District, Orel Province.
Holy Hierarch Theophan - in the world, Georgi
Vasilievitch Govorov - was born on January 10, 1815, in the village of
Chernavskoye, Yeletsk District, Orel Province.
Georgi received his primary education at home. In 1823, he entered the Divno Religious School. The capable and well-prepared youth easily completed his course work, and, being one of the best students, in 1829 transferred to the Orel Seminary, whose director, Archimandrite Isidore, was later to become a famous hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 1837, Georgi Govorov graduated from the Seminary with honors, and was assigned to the Kiev Theological Academy.
The Kiev-Caves Lavra, and other monuments of Kiev’s holy history, eloquent witnesses to the spiritual struggles of Russian monasticism, exerted a beneficial influence upon Georgi.
In his final year of studies, Georgi Govorov decided to dedicate himself entirely to serving the Holy Church as a monastic. On February 15, 1841, he was tonsured as Monk Theophan. In April 1841, Monk Theophan was ordained a hierodeacon, and on July 1, as a hieromonk.
In 1841 Hieromonk Theophan, ranked among the top graduates of the Academy, received his Master’s degree, and began his work as an educator.
On August 27, 1841, Hieromonk Theophan was assigned to be principal of the Kiev-Sophia Religious School, which was under the direct supervision of Metropolitan Philaret (Amphiteatrov) of Kiev. However, Fr. Theophan was not to spend much time at the Kiev School. On December 7, 1842, he was assigned to be inspector of the Novgorod Seminary. Hieromonk Theophan spent 3 years in Novgorod. In that short period of time, he demonstrated that he was a talented educator, and an excellent teacher of psychology and logic.
On December 13, 1844, he was transferred to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy as an instructor in the department of moral and pastoral theology.
Recognizing his great responsibility before God in the matter of religious education of youth, Fr. Theophan strove to have an influence on these future pastors through the exercise of great kindness, love, love and humility.
Hieromonk Theophan was profoundly dedicated to the work of Christian education, but was also attracted to the life of monastic solitude.
Soon the opportunity to satisfy Fr. Theophan’s spiritual aspirations presented itself. On August 21, 1847, at his own request, he was assigned to be part of the Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
The six years Hieromonk Theophan spent in the East was of enormous spiritual and moral importance to him. Visiting ancient monasteries, he tirelessly studied the writings of the holy fathers recorded in ancient manuscripts, familiarized himself with the ustav followed in monasteries in the East and on Holy Mt. Athos, and with the lives of the spiritual strugglers of antiquity in those monasteries. A close bond developed between the young ascetic and the Athonite elders, who exerted a good and productive influence on the direction his spiritual life took, and subsequently facilitated publication of his writings. There, in the East, Fr. Theophan attained a thorough mastery of Greek and French, and gained some acquaintance with Hebrew and Arabic.
In 1853 the Crimean War began. On May 3, 1854 the members of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission were recalled from Jerusalem to Russia. For his efforts in the Mission, Hieromonk Theophan was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite on April 4, 1855; on April 12, he was assigned to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy as an instructor in the department of canon law. One half year later, he was appointed rector of the Olonetsk Theological Seminary.
In 1856, Archimandrite Theophan was appointed rector of the Embassy Church in Constantinople, an appointment made possible by the fact that he was well acquainted with the Orthodox East and was completely prepared for such an assignment. At the time, the Church in Constantinople was suffering great difficulties in connection with strife between the Greeks and Bulgarians. The Russian Government and the Holy Synod, both eager for a quick resolution, directed Archimandrite Theophan to gather information about the Greek-Bulgarian question. On March 9, 1857 Fr. Theophan presented a report that was to prove very important in the deliberations by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church with respect to the question. Fr. Theophan’s sympathy for the Bulgarian people, his sympathy for their legitimate demands, and his sincere desire to help, earned him great love among the Bulgarians. Although concerned with the complex situation in the Bulgarian Church, Archimandrite Theophan did not forget about the good of the Church of Constantinople. He became quite familiar with the internal life of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the state of the Synod, the situation in which the Patriarch, the Episcopate and priests were, the makeup of the churches and clergy, and a disastrous picture emerged. Fr. Theophan wrote about all of this in his report, appealing for help from “magnanimous” Russia, “which should not abandon its mother in the faith in this helpless condition.”
During his time in Constantinople, Archimandrite Theophan both cared for the Russians living there, and proposed that the Russian Government establish in Constantinople a hospital for Russian sailors and pilgrims, and a “brotherhood and church.”
In a directive issued on June 13, 1857 the Holy Synod assigned Archimandrite Theophan to be rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. He served in that position for two years.
As rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Fr. Theophan also engaged in a great deal of editorial and theological work. He published his writings primarily in the academic journal “Christian Readings,” which at the time was produced under his supervision.
On May 29, 1859, Fr. Theophan was called to the episcopate, to be Bishop of Tambov and Shatsk. His consecration took place on June 1 in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
The Most-reverend Theophan served in the Tambov Diocese for only four years. However, in that short period of time, with exceptional meekness, unusual tact and active attention to the needs of his flock, he gained everyone’s quite sincere love. Holy Hierarch Theophan showed himself to be a dedicated servant in all areas of church life. In managing the Tambov Diocese, Vladyka was called upon to handle a multitude of concerns and difficulties.
In days of sorrow and days of peace, he was an abundantly-loving father to everyone. In the midst of the multitude of diverse activities and concerns involved in administering the Tambov Diocese, Holy Hierarch Theophan still found the time for scholarly literary pursuits. During this period he composed his theological work “Letters on the Christian Life,” which contains an entire system of Christian moral teaching.
On July 22, 1863 the Most-reverend Theophan was transferred to the cathedra of the Vladimir Diocese.
Bishop Theophan period of service in Vladimir was not lengthy either, but there as well he showed himself to be a zealous archpastor and earned everyone’s respect and love.
After 25 years of service to the Church in various assignments, Most-reverend Theophan considered it time to realize what had always been his aspiration. After consulting with Metropolitan Isidore, his long-time spiritual director, he petitioned the Holy Synod to grant him retirement with the right to remain at the Vyshna Hermitage in Tambov Diocese. Vladyka’s appeal was granted, and on July 17, 1866, he was released from his responsibilities as director of the Diocese, and was appointed rector of the Vyshna Hermitage, where he spent his days as a learned monk.
The responsibilities and fuss involved in being rector disturbed Vladyka Theophan’s internal peace, and he soon made a new appeal to be released from that position. The Holy Synod granted his request. Finally, by the grace of God, the long-awaited solitude toward which the Holy Hierarch had persistently striven came to him. The Holy Hierarch said of that time, “I would not trade my place for the St. Petersburg Metropolia, but not even for the Patriarchate, should it be restored and I were called to it.... It can be exchanged only for the Heavenly Kingdom.”
In the first six years of his time in Vyshna Hermitage, Most-reverend Theophan did not go into complete seclusion. Together with the rest of the monks, he attended all of the church services, and on Sundays and Feast Days he and concelebrating brethren served the Liturgy. This external arrangement completely suited the hierarch/struggler’s spiritual needs. He eagerly received visitors, both relatives and admirers seeking his spiritual advice, teachings and instruction, and he would leave his cell to take walks.
In 1872, after Pascha, he began to live the life of a recluse. He ceased any association with others, stopped going to the monastery church for services, and secluded himself in a separate out-building. From then on, he would receive only the Hermitage rector, his confessor Abbot Tikhon, and Fr. Evlampy, his cell attendant. By this time, Bishop Theophan had built in his quarters a small church dedicated to the Lord’s Baptism. In it he served the Divine Liturgy on all Sundays and Feast Days, аand in his final 11 years, he served daily.
In seclusion, the archpastor spent the greater part of his day in divine services and prayer, in physical and spiritual struggles. During the times not spent on spiritual struggles he occupied himself with scholarly literary theological works; he wrote a great number of letters to various people with perplexing problems who sought his help and direction. Having left the world, and having almost no contact with other people, the bishop/recluse still took an interest in the life of the Church and of his homeland. He subscribed to a number of magazines. His office contained an extensive library. In writing his works, he utilized a wide range of Russian and foreign-language literary materials.
The subjects and content of the Recluse of Vyshna’s works were quite diverse. Hardly any detail of spiritual life escaped his profound close attention and observation. However, the main subject of all of his many works was salvation in Christ. The mere summarization of his works evokes profound respect.
In subject matter, his works may be divided into three categories: moral instruction, commentary, and translation. In the field of theological studies, the Holy Hierarch’s many works on the subject of Christian morality are especially treasured. In his works on moral instruction, the Most-reverend Theophan described the ideal of the true Christian life, and the paths leading to its accomplishment. In Holy Hierarch Theophan’s works, the fundamentals of patristic psychology are expounded.
Among the most important of the Most-reverend Theophan’s works in his life of spiritual struggle, valuable contributions to Russian biblical theology, are his remarkable works on explanation of God’s word
The most important of the Holy Hierarch’s translations is Philokalia, which consists largely of the writings by the founders and great teachers of Christian asceticism on the subject of the spiritual life. A special insight into the Most-reverend Theophan’s literary efforts can be afforded by his great volume of correspondence with the many people – ranging all the way from high officials to simple folk - seeking his advice, support and approval. The Holy Hierarch retained his sincerity and love for others until his blessed end.
At about 4:00 PM on January 6, 1894, the Feast Day of his cell church, the Church of the Baptism of the Lord, Bishop Theophan peacefully reposed.
Teachings of St.Theophan the Recluse